Game apparatus



(No Model.)

B. B. TOWNSEND,

' GAME APPARATUS. No. 268,057. Patented Nov. 28, 1882.

N, PEYERS, PholwLhhngnphur. Wnhinglan. 0. Q

- (UNITED STATES PATENT OFFicE.

BENJAMIN B. TOWNSEND, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAM E APPARATUS.

a SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,057, dated November 28, 1882.

Application filed October 11, 188i (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known thatI, BENJAMIN B.TOWNSEND, of Brookline, county of Norfolk,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Game Apparatus, of which the following descripti0n,in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to a game apparatus, it being intended to reproduce on a smaller scale as an indoor game the outdoor game of cricket.

The apparatus comprises one or two wickets, each consisting of the usual three standards, which are mounted upon a base-piece, preferably composed of tough flexible materialsuch as still paper or leather-board-the said wicket being provided with the usual loose bails to be knocked oft by the ball. I

The apparatus also comprises a ball-propelling device, consisting of a tube having'a footpiece to give it proper angle to the floor or table upon which the wickets are mounted, the ball being propelled by the player blowing through. the tube.

The opposing player is provided with a miniature bat pivoted upon the end of a bat-supporting rod, and provided with an actuatingcord attached to the handle portion, by means of which it can be rocked on its pivot, imitating the movement of an ordinary full-sized bat in the hands of a player. The bat is also provided with a spring tending to move it on its pivot in the opposite direction to the actuatingcord.

In addition to the apparatus thusfardescribed, a series of pockets are provided, they occupying the position of the usual players, and operating to catch the ballit" propelled toward them, and it being the object of the player with the hat to guard his wicket and at the same time strike the ball without sending it into any of the pockets.

Figure 1 shows in perspective the apparatus in the position occupied in playing. Fig. 2 is a detail, showing in longitudinal section a portion of the ball-propelling device; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the bat, its supporting rod and actuating-cord and spring; and Fig. 4, a front elevation of the wicket.

The apparatus, when in use,occupies the position shown in Fig. 1, the gamebeing played either upon the top ofa table or upon the floor.

The wickets A, one or two ofwhich may be I employed, as desired,consi sts of the usual th rec sticks or standards, a, mounted on a base piece, 1), preferably consisting of card-board or leather board, the said wicket being provided with the usual bails, c, placed loosely upon the top ofthe sticks 2 in the usual manner.

The pockets (1, which represent the out-field players, each consist ofan inclined top or cover portion and triangular end pieces, cl, this forming a roof-like'pocket which is set with its open side toward the point at which the batis operated.

The ball is propelled toward the wicket with the object of knocking the bails 0 off therefrom by means of the ball-propellin g device consisting of a hollow rod or tube, 6, bent substantially at right angles to form a short ball receiving portion, 0, provided with a foot-piece, f, by which its angle to the floor or table upon which the apparatus is mounted maybe gaged. The said foot-piece necessitates the ball being propelled somewhat upward, and consequently at a comparatively slow speed. The ball, when dropped into the ball-receiving portion 6 ot'the or wire, g, in proper position to be acted upon by the air blown through the portion 0 of the tube to propel it toward the wicket.

The player guarding the wicket is provided with a bat, h, (shown as ot'the same shape as the usual cricket-bats,) it being pivoted at 2, near the main portion of the bat, upon the bat-holdin g rod 1', by means of which the operator places the bat in proper position to hit the ball, the said rod being held in the hand of the player and moved about at will. The bat is also provided with an actuating-cordflc, connected with the end of the handle of the bat, so that by pulling upon the said cord the bat is swung upon its pivot,it being normally pulled in the opposite direction by means of the actuatingspring m, connecting the rear side of the bat with its holding-rod t'.

By means of the bat holding device t the operator has perfect freedom in manipulating the bat,it being moved about to strike the ball, in whatever direction it may come, whether toward the wicket or not.

The game may be played with substantially the same rules as the outdoor game of cricket, striking the ball without sending it into one or propelling device, rests against a stopping-pin the point where the handle portion unites with the pockets counting as a run, and allowing the bails to be knocked off or the ball to be caught by one of the pockets counting as an out for the batman.

Itis obvious that the ball-propelling and batmanipulating apparatus can be employed for other games besides cricketsuch,for example, as for playing the game of base-ball in miniature.

I claim 1. The hereindescribed game apparatus,

comprising a wicket, pockets, a ball-propelling.

device and bat and its manipulating mechanism, substantially as described.

2. The batsupporting rod, adapted to be manipulated by the player, combined with the bat pivoted thereon, and its actuating mechanism,

- substantially as described.

3. The ball-propelling device, consisting ot'a tube bent, as described, to forma ball-receiving portion, substantially as set forth.

BENJAMIN B. TOWNSEND.

Witnesses:

J 0s. P. LIVERMORE, B. J. NoYEs. 

